


Palliative Company

by Ononymous



Series: Father's Day/Asgore Week 2019 [4]
Category: Deltarune (Video Game), Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Pre-Deltarune
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-05-14 19:00:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19279210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ononymous/pseuds/Ononymous
Summary: On his way to a delivery of flowers, Asgore encounters, aids and abets a hitchhiker not so reluctantly, and makes his delivery more comfortable.





	Palliative Company

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Grief

"Here you are, Mister Drake. Well golly, I'm glad you like them! Don't worry about the bill, you can square me up later. Have a nice day!"

The front door of the apartment block opened, and Asgore squeezed his way outside. His egress _not_ being stopped by his horns catching on the frame was actually a pleasant surprise, he was getting better at navigating these smaller entryways. He stood at the top step, breathing deeply to capture as much of the fresh air as he could, laced as it was with the scent of his final delivery.

He followed the smell down to his truck, and examined the large oval bouquet of aquamarine flowers in the back. He'd wanted to be a little more fancy with it, red roses arranged in the shape of a book here, daffodils as a thunderbolt there, but his stock of both had been bought out by Mrs Ormsdotter, and until her check cleared he couldn't order more. Not to worry, the plainness of the arrangement time had forced on him did nothing to belittle the care he'd put into it, and it would still be worth it. Before he got back to the shop he'd probably have to fill up the truck at the station, maybe a quarter full to tide him over. Now, just need to get the keys and-

"Well there's King Rosebud!"

Asgore looked around at the hail. The speaker's beady nose twitched as they made eye contact, buck teeth prominent in a cheeky grin flanked by hollow furry cheeks. He was wearing an old leather jacket Asgore had not seen him wear in years, and Asgore remembered it fitting him better in the old days. He looked tired, but delighted to find his friend, as the cloven hand waving over to King Rosebud indicated.

"Rudy! Howdy!" Before either man knew it Asgore's arms had enveloped his skinny friend.

"Yeah, yeah, it's- Oof! -good to see you too, Asgore. Now could- _Hnn!_ -you ease up? Still a little delicate here."

"Oh!" He released Rudy, looking embarrassed. "Sorry, got carried away."

"Well that's how I know it's you, isn't it? Har har!"

"So," said Asgore, beaming, "did Doctor Drake discharge you? Are you on any medication?"

"Oh, he totally..." Rudy's mumbling quickly collapsed into incoherence as he scratched his mop of black hair. That was when Asgore spotted it, a bracelet with 'HOLIDAY, R.' and some identification number on Rudy's wrist. Looking down, Asgore also noticed the leather jacket was worn over a sky-blue gown. His smile quickly faded.

"Again, Rudy? Dannie will worry sick when she learns you snuck out of hospital for a third time."

"She will," admitted Rudy, "but that's why she won't learn! She's in a town council meeting, Noelle's at school, the nurses are buried in paperwork, and I just needed to stretch my hooves. Wards are so boring and clinical to sit in all day."

Asgore frowned. "And what if I take you back to the hospital right now?"

"Then I receive the tender ministrations of Doctor Drake today, Dannie reads me the riot act, I feel even more cooped up and try and sneak out tomorrow. C'mon, Gors, I just need a change of scenery. I'm feeling fine! ...ish." Asgore folded his arms, threatening everything. "Okay, look, I'll hang out with you for a bit, not leave your sight, and if I take a turn you can drag me back immediately. In any case, I'll stay in the hospital like a good little boy for the rest of my time there! Or a month, whichever comes first. Whadoya say?"

"..." was what Asgore had to say. His better judgement was to take Rudy back immediately, but that pleading smile was wearing him down.

"I'll chip in to fill up the truck too, my wallet's in this jacket."

Crushed by pragmatism, soon the two monsters were trundling down the road towards the station, Asgore deciding to receive upfront payment for his complicity in the escape.

"Mighty fine hornspace in this truck," said Rudy, fingering the tip of his antler. "This set ya back much?"

"It should have. Did a favour to the dealer, provided the flowers to his child's wedding reception and got a discount."

"Huh, someone actually made good on their tab?" Rudy's ears swivelled in thought as he fiddled with his moustache. "Well that's neat!"

Even though Rudy provided enough cash to completely fill the tank, Asgore wouldn't let him get out of the truck. Officially it in case a neighbour spotted him, but really to minimise the strain he was putting himself through. Rudy's request and funding for a snack from the store was similarly modest, for Asgore returned with a wholegrain cheese sandwich and a bottle of water, though in fairness he'd bought himself the same.

"Remember those big juicy steaks we got at graduation?" asked Rudy, unsubtly.

"You can eat your sandwich now if you like," evaded Asgore, "but I'm going to make this delivery before I eat mine."

"Delivery? Where are..." Rudy turned around and saw the flower display. "Ah. That's today, right?"

"Yep."

"Run outta daffodils for the thunderbolt?"

"And roses, too. Terrible timing, but can't be helped."

Rudy watched the autumnal kaleidoscope of the trees flow past his window as Asgore made his way to his original destination. The warm golden palette really was a balm to him. He was so caught up in it he missed Asgore looking over, happy to see his friend more relaxed than he'd been in a long time. Soon the endless ocean of trees and leaves gave way to islands of wood and brick as they returned to the town, the truck pulling up alongside a tall steeple with golden wings atop its spire. Rudy shifted to conceal himself behind Asgore's bulk as a serene turtle walked up to them.

"Good afternoon, Mister Dreemurr! By the Angel, the weather is lovely today."

"It sure is, Father. I've got the flowers here."

"How thoughtful of you, my son. Go ahead, I shall be cleaning the pews if you need anything."

The coast clear, Rudy finally got out of the truck, and reached to help with the arrangement, but Asgore instead picked it up single-handed and walked past the church door. Rudy followed him as he carried them into the graveyard, and over to the furthest headstone from the church.

"Wow," muttered Rudy, "all these years and it still feels weird seeing it here."

"Yes..."

The two of them regarded the hammer etched into the stone, as solid and eternal as the person it memorialised had once felt. Everyone in a community has a role in shaping it and directing it, some large and some small, and while Gerson was never at the forefront of anything, he was a constant presence. His absence still felt wrong to his former students, and parents of his former students. The stillness was broken by Asgore bending over the headstone to clear away some dirt, and pluck a weed or two from the soil of the grave.

"Hey," said Rudy all of a sudden, "remember when he caught us passing notes in class when I asked you what you thought of Tori?"

Asgore twitched in surprise. "Rudy, is this the place to...?"

"Sure it is, all this solemnity, he'd have hated that, told us to lighten up and have some fun! An' then he goes and makes me read the note at the head of the class, and everyone gets a giggle..."

"I never giggled."

"Well of course you didn't. And then he goes and says 'Well far from it for me to pass judgement, boy, but I ain't seein' you gettin' very far. Stick to colouring in fer now! Wa ha ha!' And all the girls kept their distance from me for like a month!"

True to his earlier statement, Rudy started laughing at the childhood humiliation, and Asgore tried to restrain his own snorts of amusement. It was as if those 'Wa Ha Ha's were coming from the nearby bench as they shared the memory.

"Ah man, he could be a nosy stubborn jerk. But he was a cool nosy stubborn jerk. He was _our_ cool nosy stubborn jerk. This town was better for him."

"I suppose," said Asgore, still clinging on to the dignity of the graveyard. "Thank you, Mister Boom."

"I think sucking up to him now is a little late, Gors," teased Rudy. "Hey, when were you last at QC's?"

"Hmm? Oh, just before Asriel went to college. It was a farewell thing with him and Kris."

"Let's go there now. Not to buy anything," Rudy halted Asgore reaching for his own wallet, "just to eat those sandwiches."

"You waited? How considerate." Asgore grinned. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Oh har har."

Soon they were sat in a booth, Asgore strategically placed to block as much view of Rudy as possible, looking out the slightly run down view through smudged finger drawings of flowers and booted lizards and horned monsters, as though they'd been carved into the glass from years of repetition. Their modest lunch was long consumed, but they still had chat to have.

"So how is Noelle handling school these days? It's been a while since I've seen her. Sorry again for what Kris did back then."

"Eh, it's cool." Rudy's smile faltered. "I'm a little worried about her grades, honestly."

"Really? What's wrong?"

"She's getting straight A's, her report cards are really boring, that's what's wrong!" laughed Rudy. "Couldn't she get caught cheating or something? High school is supposed to have drama!"

"Drama is... overrated," said Asgore, his own smile shrinking. "Toriel handles Kris' academic record of course, but she tells me they are... adequate. Not outstanding, but not terrible. Very in-the-crowd. I'm not sure if I should be worried or pleased. Except in music, it's hard to keep them off the piano, and they excel. I'm happy they have a hobby like that. Officer Undyne was a really good teacher before she joined the police."

"Coulda fooled me, Noelle had lessons with her, quit after the third! I think she's a little too overbearing for us Holidays."

"I can see it," mused Asgore, "if Kris is good at one thing, it's handling intense situations. I suppose what happened would prove that one way or the other." He finished off the last of his water. "What do you think Gerson would say about the town these days? About us and families?"

"About us?" Rudy absently traced one of the window drawings. "I'd think he'd try and remind us of when that kid Jerry got chisp dust in your fur on picture day and laugh at us!"

"Hee hee hee, you're probably right about that!"

A beeping noise got their attention. Rudy fished in his jacket and took out a phone. "Almost dinner time back at the hospital. Better head back before Officer Undyne arrests me for first degree truancy. Thanks a lot, Asgore."

"Thanks? For what? You've paid for everything, and we haven't done much."

"True. But we haven't done that much _together_. That's the hard part of hospital. I miss doing stuff with other people that doesn't involve donating my fluids or having them taken from me. I miss stun-locking Noelle in Smashing Fighters, even. I think these days are important for not going crazy. Should we make it a regular thing?"

"You might be safer," said Asgore shrewdly, "if you didn't include me in your planning. Less chance of it leaking. And I'm more likely to go along with mischief if I'm not forewarned."

"Fair point, Flower King. But Don't Forget."

"Don't Forget what?"

"This, basically. Remember Gerson's good times, remember your family's good times, remember these. They'll be with you even if it's dark."

"Then shouldn't I turn on the light?"

"Har har, now you're getting it!"

The two antlers poking out of a leather jacket followed Asgore out of the diner, successfully shielding their owner from being identified. Between growing tabs and his donation to Gerson's grave, Asgore hadn't made a lot of money that day, but the time with his friend was compensation enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think, and thanks for reading!


End file.
